Congress on Tuesday appeared extending an olive branch to AAP to form a government in Delhi as Arvind Kejriwal ruled out giving any support to BJP for the purpose.
“A number of senior leaders of Delhi are of the opinion that we should give unconditional support to AAP to form a government. They believe that we should extend outside support to it. But, we are talking to MLAs from the state. Their opinion is very important. Once we take their opinion, we will apprise the party high command about it,” AICC general secretary in charge for Delhi, Shakeel Ahmed told PTI.
His remarks came shortly after Kejriwal ruled out support to BJP and termed as “personal opinion” the remarks of party leader Prashant Bhushan, who told a TV channel last night that AAP may consider supporting BJP if the party gives AAP in writing that it will pass the Jan Lokpal Bill.
The noted lawyer clarified on Tuesday that what he had said last night was in a rhetorical context.
Bhushan said the party will not stake claim to form government and prefer to sit in the opposition.
“We cannot support BJP or Congress as AAP was formed as an alternative to them. People have supported us so that we can establish an alternative politics in the country,” Bhushan said.
Ever since debutant AAP’s spectacular show in Delhi polls, Congress has gone soft on Kejriwal’s party. Rahul Gandhi had said on Sunday that AAP involved a lot of people who the traditional political parties did not and “we are going to learn from that.”
A known detractor of Kejriwal, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has termed AAP’s victory as “something good for the electoral politics of democratic India”.
“It strengthens people’s belief in democracy, which they were fast losing. In fact, I was the first person to request Arvind Kejriwal that he should gather courage and participate in electoral politics if he wants to enact jan lokpal.
“I was also the first one, who complimented him when he formed AAP,” he said.
BJP ‘ready’ for re-election
BJP on Tuesday made clear its reluctance to form government in Delhi saying it did not have the numbers and that it is ready to face elections.
Harsh Vardhan, BJP’s chief ministerial candidate in the assembly polls, was on Tuesday formally elected as the leader of the legislature party at the first meeting of 31 party MLAs and one SAD legislator at Delhi BJP office.
“It is a sad situation for us and residents of Delhi, but due to present technicalities, government cannot be formed with a fractured mandate. We don’t have enough numbers to form a stable government and we are ready to fight the election once again, if such a situation arises,” Vardhan told reporters after the meeting.
“We have emerged as the single largest party in assembly polls, but lack a few seats (for majority). We are neither eager nor even trying to form government by any immoral means.
“Whether we form the government or not, we will continue serving people. I today promise that residents of Delhi will not regret electing us as their representatives,” added Vardhan.
Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel also reiterated the party’s line.
“As we have not got majority, we have decided not to form government by any horse trading and any illegal means. In every election, hundreds of crores of rupees are spent. We would have been happy, had any party formed the government,” said Goel.
Expressing confidence that BJP will be able to form government after a re-election, Goel said that the party was ready to sit in the opposition and also ready to face election.
“I am confident that like this time, we will once again emerge as number one party in the election and will get majority to form the government,” said Goel, adding that the party is not seeking anyone’s support.
On being asked about AAP’s leader Prashant Bhushan’s reported proposal to support his party to form government, Goel said he was not sure whether it was his individual view or his party’s. “We cannot decide on such proposals,” said Goel.
“If we get any invitation from lt governor, we will decide whether we can form the government or not,” said Goel to a query about their future strategy.
Asked about allegation of molestation against AAP’s newly elected MLA from Seemapuri, Goel said AAP should see that party members do not further tarnish its image.
“Thirteen rebels from BJP and Congress have been given tickets by AAP. I don’t know under what consideration they have been given tickets. AAP should see that party members do not further tarnish its image. Police have already filed an FIR and are looking into the matter,” said Goel.
The meeting was attended by Delhi election in charge Nitin Gadkari, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel among other senior leaders.
——PTI